Boulder Farmers' Market offers smiles, bounty on opening day

Mild weather combines with old faces and new for successful launch

Other farmers' markets in Boulder and Broomfield counties opening soon

Boulder: Saturday market is now open. The Wednesday night market will open for the season at 4 p.m. on May 1.

Longmont: Celebrated its opening day on Saturday

Louisville Farmers' Market: Located at 824 Front St., it will open for the season at 8 a.m. on June 1.

Erie Farmers' Market: N/A

Lafayette Farmers' Market: N/A

Niwot Farmers' Market: N/A

Broomfield Farmers' Market: Held at the Church of the Holy Comforter, 1700 W 10th Ave, it will open for the season on at 4 p.m. on June 11.

Boulder's Stefanie Kenny and her son Ewan hit all their regular stops at the Boulder Farmers' Market on Saturday, taking advantage of the mild weather to make the most of its inaugural 2013 session.

"We are faithful farmers' market attendees. We've come almost every week for years," said Kenny, as she and Ewan, 5, ate lunch on the Central Park grass behind the rows of tents selling fresh produce and prepared foods.

"I can't believe how many people are here."

Kenny picked up some eggs, cheese, popcorn and a springtime favorite, fresh greens. She and Ewan then sat down to enjoy a smoothie from Berry Best Smoothie Co., plus a chicken pita from Rollin Greens.

After a full morning of shopping and eating, the pair had one last stop, Ewan's favorite: the balloon man.

Market executive director Shanan Olson said, "Hooray!" on Saturday when asked how it felt to get the market up and running for another season.

"It's actually really fabulous," she added. "I really love that specific group of people that come out for the best food. I love foodies. And this is day one of the food culture celebration."

Over-wintered spinach is still the big-ticket crop for farmers in the market's early months each year. Olson said Saturday she notices more diverse greens at main tents, including arugula, spicy mixes and young lettuce mixes.

A plethora of garden starters for people planning to stretch out their green thumbs at home were also available through many of the farmers, Olson said.

Chris McMurtry, a member of the Boulder County Famers' Market board, picked up a bag of spinach from Red Wagon Organic Farm Saturday. A Longmont resident who works in Boulder, McMurtry visited both the Boulder and Longmont markets on Saturday with his wife and daughter, and said he was impressed with the selection and turnout at both.

"It's the start of the eating season. It's the start of spring," he said. "And the weather is perfect. This morning was one of the most beautiful, idealistic pictures of a farmers' market."

The tent for Cure Organic farm was particularly busy to start the season. Beyond its greens, carrots and parsnips, Cure offered up Berkshire pork, raw honey and yarn spun from wool of the farm's sheep. Cure farmer Tim Villard said that garden starters for kale, chard and onions were a popular item with shoppers.

Settling in for their 26th season, Boulder Farmers' Market founding members Chet and Kristy Anderson of the Fresh Herb Company said that herbs and succulents were popular items at their tent.

"We are happy to see the market open," Kristy Anderson said.

"A lot of new faces but a lot of familiar faces too," said Chet Anderson, whose favorite part of opening day is reconnecting with longtime customers after a winter away from the market. "There is great community support for the market and the market's growers."

Jim Harvey ate lunch with his family at one of picnic tables on the north side of the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. His sister-in-law and nephew are visiting from Michigan, so Harvey wanted to show them one of their favorite places to eat and shop in Boulder.

"It's always fun to come and cruise around," Harvey said. "We just like talking to the different farmers, seeing what is out there. It's just a very different shopping experience, than the grocery store."